1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a bed with which sleeping accommodations, such as hotels and the like, can be appropriately equipped.
2. Description of the Related Art
Bed-making required for service beds in sleeping accommodations, such as hotels and the like, is usually carried out by pushing a sheet under the rim of a mattress which is placed on a bed. However, since it is necessary for bed-making personnel to complete a large number of beds in a limited period of time, it is an extremely demanding job. In particular, since the bed-making personnel must bend the body forward in order to carry out the bed-making, many of them suffer from backaches. Accordingly, there arises a problem about which the accommodation industry is concerned.
In order to solve the aforementioned problem, it is possible to convert a continuously variable type ascending and descending mechanism for a medical bed (as set forth in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (KOKAI) No. 57-139,319) into a service bed. However, the ascending and descending mechanism is designed to adjust the bed height continuously, so that it takes a long time to move the bed from the descended position to the ascended position or vice versa. Accordingly, there still remains a drawback which inhibits the ascending and descending mechanism from being practically applied to service beds, because it is necessary to complete the bed-making of the service beds in a short period of time.
Hence, the assignee of the present invention applied for a Japanese Patent for a newly invented bed in Japanese Patent Application No. 3-347,028. The bed comprises a bed body provided with an extensible and retractable actuator which is capable of extending and retracting quickly by the action of a gas spring or the like. With the extensible and retractable actuator, an ascending and descending link comprising a parallel link or the like is operated so as to ascend an ascending and descending base, which is fixed to the ascending and descending link, from a descended position (i.e., an ordinary service position) to an ascended position and to hold the base there where bed-making personnel can carry out the bed-making with ease.
The bed according to the prior Japanese Patent Application, however, has the following drawback. Namely, the bed is designed to ascend and descend the ascending and descending base which is disposed on the top side of the bed body. Accordingly, when ascending the ascending and descending base, the bed body and the mattress are separated from each other so that bed-making personnel can scarcely determine the displacement of the mattress. As a result, when the ascending and descending base is descended and the mattress is returned back onto the bed body, bed-making personnel eventually determine the displacement of the mattress, and consequently he or she must carry out the bed-making again.
In addition, when the bed is placed near a wall, it is necessary for bed-making personnel to move the bed and provide a space between the bed and the wall for carrying out the job. In order to cope with the situation, it is possible to think of installing a caster to the bed body and thereby making the bed body movable. However, if it is done so, the bed is likely to move during the ordinary service and it is worse in terms of stability.